Review - Betty Lou's Just Great Stuff Bars

Brand:  Betty Lou’s  

Flavor:  Just Great Stuff Superberry Acai Bar

Where to get it:  here @ BettyLousInc.com

                I’m already a huge fan of the Betty Lou’s family of products, and these bars are but a small exception…I can’t stand acai, so they never really had a change. That aside, if you like acai, these are just another great vegan staple from Betty Lou’s. They’re soft and chewy like a fruit bar, but they have more substance to them, similar to a Nakd or Lara Bar. Lots of good fruit and nuts ground up in these as well, so no funky weird ingredients. If you’re following a straightforward approach to your food, this is a great choice for a midday snack.

               

Tastes like:  Acai & protein powder

Taste rating:  6/10

Qualities:  Vegetarian, vegan, Gluten free, Made in the USA, USDA Organic

What’s in it:

Review - WB Kitchen Brownie Honey Cookies

Brand:  WB Kitchen

Flavor:  Brownie Honey Cookies

Where to get it: here @ BarefootProvisions.com

                I grew up with a mother who baked quite often. I had two mortal kitchen enemies – vanilla extract and baking chocolate. They both smell wonderfully delicious, but taste like absolute mortal peril. These cookies were a lot like that first bite of baking chocolate that 6 year-old me had. Really bitter, really not good, really heartbreaking. Honey is the first ingredient, but the cocoa is unsweetened, and let me tell you – they create a really terrible harmony. Maybe other flavors are better?

               

Tastes like:   Bitter sadness

Taste rating:  0/10

Qualities:   Gluten free, all-natural

What’s in it:

Review - Kay's Naturals Protein Puffs

Brand:  Kay’s Naturals

Flavor:  Almond Delight Protein Puffs

Where to get it: here @ KaysNaturals.com

                I think you’re supposed to snack on these out of the package like you would a cracker or chip. I did that for the first 2 puffs, and then immediately dumped them in a mug with some unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I let them sit for a few minutes (okay 10), and they sogged up just a bit. DELICIOUS. I’m having trouble deciding if this was embarrassing or genius. Either way, these little cinnamon balls are snacking good, with only 125 calories per package and a whopping 12g of plant-based fiber. I seriously might just buy more to eat for breakfast.

               

Tastes like:  Slightly salty cinnamon cereal!

Taste rating:  8/10

Qualities:  Kosher, Gluten free, Made in the USA, vegetarian, vegan, all natural

What’s in it:  

Review - Amrita Energy Bar

Brand:  Amrita

Flavor:  Energy Bar, Protein Bar

Where to get it: here @ AmritaHealthFoods.com

                I have such a hard time with raw bars. Is it me? Someone please let me know. I feel like if I was on a raw diet, I would only be able to eat fruit, veggies, and nuts. The presence of sesame in the Apple Cinnamon Energy Bar just killed this for me. I like sesame, and I also like apples. I guess together…not so much. I was actually surprised to see that there was no flax in the bar, it was that “seedily bitter”. I’ll keep trying the raw products, but for now I’m solidly in the “please cook my food” camp.

               

Tastes like:   Cinnamon and sesame

Taste rating:  3/10

Qualities:   Non-GMO, Gluten free, raw, Kosher, vegetarian, vegan, Made in the USA

What’s in it:

See you in October!

The Banshee is taking a little break in September. I'll be back on the first Tuesday in October (the 4th) with more thoughts on munchies. See you all then!

Review - Naturalia Fruit Wich

Brand:  Naturalia

Flavor:  Pineapple Mango Fruit Wich

Where to get it: Looks to be available in HEB stores, I couldn't find anywhere online. 

                Another super creative fruit snack! It really does surprise me that a company can take literally just fruit and turn it into a unique snack. This snack contains pineapple and mango – nothing else, and it’s still super unique. It’s not a bar or leather, it’s crispy little chippies that taste like fruit, but don’t disintegrate like an actual chip. More than once, I’ve eaten so much pineapple that my mouth has taken on that weird-acid-pain-uh-oh feeling. The presence of the mango tempers that acidic pineapple situation quite a bit, which makes it really nice while still having the pineapple taste.

               

Tastes like:   Less acidic pineapple

Taste rating:  10/10

Qualities:   Gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, all-natural, raw, Non-GMO

What’s in it:

Review - Bite Fuel Power Bites

Brand:  Bite Fuel

Flavor:  Power Bites Protein Cookies

Where to get it: here @ BiteFuel.com

                I’ve had some pretty good luck with protein cookies lately, so I was really interested in trying these little dudes. They’re smaller, almost like you’re eating a “real” mass-produced grocery store cookie out of the delicious rows in their cellophane packaging. Unfortunately, I hated the taste on these guys. They’re as sweet as a Quest bar, with that overwhelming weird protein powder taste and aftertaste. I suppose if you were STARVING and hadn’t had anything but bland chicken and unsalted green beans for a couple of weeks, these might hit the spot…but otherwise, take a pass.

               

Tastes like:   Protein powder and sugar alcohol

Taste rating:  2/10

Qualities:   Non-GMO, Gluten free

What’s in it: